Today you will fly to Siem Reap with connecting flight(s) on the way.

Upon your arrival at the airport in Siem Reap, you go through immigration. After picking up your luggage, you head out into the arrivals hall, where you’ll be met by a guide holding up a TourCompass sign.

You will then be driven to your hotel to check in, and there’s time for a rest after your long flight.

In the evening, you’ll be going on a culinary adventure. Your guide will pick you up from the hotel and accompany you to a popular, local night market. The locals come here to buy meat, fresh fruit and vegetables to take home, while others stay and eat on the small plastic stools.

Walk through the night market and soak up the atmosphere. The aroma from the many food stalls selling Khmer delicacies will really make your mouth water. Find a delicious piece of grilled meat or a noodle dish and sit down on one of the many stools next to the locals enjoying a local snack. If you’re feeling brave, you could even try grilled crickets on skewers. Wash it all down with a cold, local beer of your choice.

The evening is rounded off with a delicious dinner and a glass of rice wine at one of Siem Reap’s popular Khmer restaurants, owned by an innovative chef who promotes the diversity of Cambodian cuisine.

A big day awaits you today in the form of one of the great wonders of the world: the magnificent Angkor Wat temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You will be picked up from the hotel in the morning and driven out of the city where this major attraction is located. As the temple area is quite large, the car accompanies you, so you’re driven the longer distances from place to place, but you’ll be dropped off by the guide so that you can view all the sights on foot.

The ruins and temples are scenically situated in an area surrounded by jungle and a moat. It’s really peaceful here and like stepping into a whole new world.

The first visit is Angkor Wat, which is the best-preserved temple in Cambodia. Most people are blown away by the spectacular temple comprising 3 levels, crowned by 5 towers, which are shaped like the buds of the lotus flower. In the inner courtyards and vaulted walkways, you can admire the endless friezes and stunning carvings. The upper level of the temple affords a fantastic view of the area.

Further on at Bayon, one of the main temples, an impressive sight awaits in the form of countless smiling Buddha faces.

Finally, you visit the famous Ta Prohm temple, made unique by the beautiful, large trees that have taken root in the temple buildings, becoming as one.

After this memorable visit, you’ll be driven to a local restaurant for lunch (not included).

The tour continues to Tonle Sap Lake, which is South-east Asia’s largest freshwater lake. The size of the lake varies greatly from 3,000 km² in the dry season to 10,000 km² in the rainy season. The lake is an important part of Cambodia’s economy and pantry with abundant wildlife and more than 300 fish species and 100 bird species.

Here, you board a boat and are sailed to one of the many fishing villages, Kompong Phluk. Hear what life is like for the many families who primarily make a living from fishing. The families live in characteristic colourful houses built on long stilts, allowing them to cope with the high water level in the rainy season, when the narrow streets in the village are transformed into small canals. In the dry season, when the water level is low, the long stilts are in full view.

You will then be sailed through a mangrove forest, which is home to many animals, including various bird species and the crab-eating macaques.

You’ll then be driven back to the hotel and the rest of the day is yours to do as you please.

The day is yours to relax by the pool, explore the city or purchase one of our extra excursions.

On a stroll around the city, you will come across small temples with gold roofs and the finest of gardens in the side streets. A visit to the Royal Gardens, a little park located directly opposite the royal residence, is also recommended. Have a break and sit yourself down at one of the many cosy cafés and restaurants and watch life go by in the city.

In the evening, things liven up in Pub Street, which, lined with restaurants and bars, is the natural gathering point. In the quiet area along the river, you will find the city’s top restaurants. You will no doubt feel the warmth of the welcoming, proud Cambodian people from the very first day.

You will be picked up from the hotel and start the trip to Cambodia’s vibrant and historic capital Phnom Penh. Along the way, you can enjoy the scenic landscapes with rice fields and plantations. A stop is made in the town of Skuon at the market famous for selling special Cambodian delicacies, such as deep-fried spiders. Cambodians travel from far and wide to this market to enjoy their favourite dishes. Traditionally, they eat virtually everything, and here you also get the opportunity to enjoy the sight of them or buy yourself a taster.

Phnom Penh is located in the confluence of the 3 rivers: the Mekong, the Bassac and the Tonle Sap. The city buzzes with life, with bustling markets, busy boulevards, cosy little streets with shops and a host of cafés and restaurants. Discover the wonderful mix of French colonial style, modern skyscrapers, pagodas with pointed towers and the beautiful royal palace.

When you get to Phnom Penh, the rest of the day is yours to do as you wish.

Total driving time, including breaks and stops: around 5 hours

On today’s full-day sightseeing excursion, a lovely yet moving day awaits you, when you will come a tad closer to understanding Cambodian culture and history.

After breakfast, the tour starts off with a visit to the city’s iconic royal palace with gold-plated roofs and a fine park where the current king lives. The visit includes the coronation hall and the silver pagoda.

The tour then heads to Wat Phnom Pagoda, which is located on a small tree-covered hilltop and the city’s main temple. The Cambodians flock here to pray for good luck in life’s big events.  No visit to Phnom Penh is complete without a visit to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum S-21, a museum about the Khmer Rouge genocide. S-21 stands for Security Prison 21 and is the prison set up in 1975 to incarcerate opponents of Pol Pot’s regime.

The day ends with a powerful and moving experience at Choeung Ek also known as the “Killing Fields”. The hilly terrain of Choeung Ek, 15 km outside Phnom Penh, holds the mass graves of the 17,000+ people murdered by the Khmer Rouge. After the visit, you head back to your hotel.

There is no scheduled itinerary today, and you are free to decide whether you want to relax, explore Phnom Penh on your own or purchase one of our extra excursions.

You might like to stroll along the promenade along the Mekong River, shop in the quaint streets with their small shops, visit the National Museum, the large Phsar Thmey “New Market” indoor market, or simply soak in the atmosphere at the many cafés and restaurants.

You will be picked up from the hotel and driven to the airport in Phnom Penh, from which you will fly home with connecting flight(s) on the way. Alternatively, when booking, you can extend the tour to include either a beach holiday on the paradise island of Koh Rong or at the coastal town of Kep.

You land at the selected airport after a lovely holiday.